Bush criticizes Egypt's jailing of dissident

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
US President George W. Bush criticism of jailed dissidents during a speech Tuesday in the Czech Republic cast a spotlight on Egypt's most prominent opposition prisoner whose wife recently accused the US of ignoring him in favor of winning Egyptian government support. In his speech celebrating democracy's progress around the globe but also called out places where its reach is either incomplete or lacking, Bush specifically named Ayman Nour among several dissidents from other countries - including Cuba and Burma - who are imprisoned. "There are many other dissidents who could not join us because they are being unjustly imprisoned or held under house arrest. I look forward to the day when conferences like this one include ... Ayman Nour of Egypt," Bush said. There was no immediate response from the Egyptian government on Bush's speech.